Geeaed beekman



(No Model.)

Gr. BEEKMAN.

GLEANING MECHANISM FOR COTTON HARVESTERS. No. 313,278. Patented Mar; 3,1885.

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. WITNESSES 1 V INVENTOR:

W wuxflm W ATTORNEY N. PEYERS. Phclo-Lilhagmbhen Washinglon. n.0,

GERARD BEEKMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLEANING MECHANISM FOR COTTON-HARVESTERS.

EJPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,278, dated March3, 1885.

Application filed May 13, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GERARD BEEKMAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York,in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin the Cleaning Mechanism for Cotton-Harvesters, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to and is especially adapted for the mechanism forcleaning the cotton from the class of pickers for cottonharvestersdescribed in the application for the same filed herewith; but it isapplicable also to other harvesters, particularly the bar- Vesterdescribed in Letters Patent granted to me May 25, 1880, No. 227,949, andis an improvement upon the cleaning-rollers therein shown.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide an improved form ofcleaning-rollers, and second, to provide a method of adjusting theserollers to and from one another and to and from the pickers.

I attain the objects of my present invention by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is aperspective view of the rollers and their bearings, and the rod aroundwhich their relative position is adjusted. Fig. 2 is an enlargedperspective view of the upper end of said rod, showing the upperadjustingscrews and detached from the same, the upper carrier of thesteel roller, and the slots through which the screws pass. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the rollers, rod, screws, and upper carrier, showing alsothe position of the picking device.

A B, Fig. 1, indicate portions of the frame of the carriage such asshown in my Patent No. 227,949, or of the improved adjustable framecarrying the picking mechanism, as shown in my application No. 131,303,filed of even date herewith.

O is the rubber cleaningroller,and D is the steel cleaning-roller,rotated by contact with the rubber roller. These rollers extend from thetop to the bottom of the frame, and are preferably about three feetlong. The rubber roller is preferably about two and a half or threeinches in diameter at the largest part. The steel roller is as small asit can be made without buckling, and, preferably, about onehalf tothree-fourths of an inch in diameter at the largest part, and I preferto strengthen and stiffen it by making it thicker in the middle than atthe ends, as shown in Fig. 2. \Vhen this is done, the rubber roller alsomust be made to taper toward the ends in exactly the same ratio, so thatthe rubber will not be twisted upon the core. The core of the rubberroller should be square, as shown at T, Figs. 1 and 3. The rubber rolleris operated in any suitable way, but preferably by the gear-wheel E,.which is connected with the main driving-wheel of the machine, as shownin my application No. 131,303, above referred to. The roller shouldpreferably be given about eighteen or more rotations to each revolutionof the main driving-wheel of the machine.

Sis the rotary picker, provided with wire picker-teeth.

I find it best in practice to place the steel roller in advance of therubber roller, so that the cotton upon the picker will strike it first;and I prefer to place it in contact with the picker, as shown in Fig. 3.The rubber roller is preferably placed so that the picker will not touchit. The advantage of this arrangement is that the cotton will bedislodged from the points of the picker as they touch the steelroller,and will be carried between the rollers, and the points of thepicker will not abrade the surface of the rubber roller and cause cottonfibers to adhere to it. As the points of the picker become worn down byuse, it will be important to advance the steel roller toward it; but inordinary practice it will be sufficient to be able to regulate thepressure of the rollers upon one another.

The method of adjusting the rollers toward one another and toward thepicker is accomplished as follows: v

F is a bar of iron or steel firmly attached to the frame A B, andserving as the base to and from which the steel rollerD is adj usted.This roller D has its bearing in the L-shaped brackets G H, which arepreferably attached to a shield, I. Each of these brackets is providedwith a slot, K, through which slots project the screws]? B,respectively. Each of said brackets is provided with a hole, J or M,through ICO which project the screws 0 and Q, respectively. All of saidscrews pass through the said bar F.

When it is desired to move the steel roller nearer to the picker S, thescrews 0 andQ are turned so that the heads will approaehthe bar F, thusadvancing the L-shaped brackets G H toward the picker, the slots Kallowing the brackets to slide upon shoulders at the ends of the screwsP and B. When it is desiredto withdraw the steel roller from thepickers, the screws 0 and Q, are turned in the opposite direction, whenthe rotation and pressure of the rubber roller 0 will move the steelroller backward.

In order to press the steel roller D more closely upon the rubber roller0, the screws P and R are turned so that their heads will approach thebar F, and the other ends of said screws, bearing upon the L-shapedbrackets G H, will cause them to approach the rubber roller 0, thebrackets turning upon the pivots formed by the heads of the screws 0 Q,and moving in the line of the dotted arc X, Fig. 3.

In order to decrease the pressure between the rollers O D, the screws 1?and Rare turned in the opposite direction, whereuponthe elasticity ofthe rubber rollerG will push back the roller D, with its brackets.

In order that these cleaningrollers may operate eflectually, it isnecessary that they press closely upon one another. The rotation is inthe direction of the arrows, Fig. 3, and the line of contact of 'therollers should be brought as closely as possible to the pickers, so thatthe fibers of cotton will be caught. The rollers,revo1ving with greatrapidity, will not only reel ofl the cotton from the pickers and throwit toward the shield I, but also, by centrifugal force, they will keepthemselves free and prevent the cotton from wrapping around them withoutthe use of the scrapers shown in my former patent.

The rubber roller 0 should be made of sufficient elasticity to allowmasses of cotton to be carried through at one part without materiallydisturbing the pressure of other parts, and this elasticity will alsoprevent injury to the seeds contained in the picked cotton.

In order to increase the yielding character of the rubber roller, cellsV V, Fig. 3, may be cast in its body. By this device rubber of a cheapergrade may be used. The surface of the rubber roller should be kept ashard and smooth as possible.

The steel roller should be polished and nickelplated, to preventrusting.

One or more pairs of these cleaning-rollers, suitably geared,may beplaced upon each side of the harvester at suitable points to draw awaythe cotton from the pickers.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for harvesting cotton, in combination with suitablepicking devices, a pair of cleaning rollers arranged in contact with oneanother and rotated in opposite directions, and means for adjusting themto and from one another, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for harvesting cotton, in combination with a suitablepicking device, a pair of cleaning-rollers arranged in contact with oneanother and rotated in opposite directions, means for adjusting them toand from one another, and means for adjusting one of said rollers to andfrom the picking device, substantially as described. I

3. In a machine for harvesting cotton, in combination with a suitablepicking device, the cleaning-rollers G D, the brackets G H, the bar F,the screws P R, for adjusting the roller D to and from the roller 0, andthe screws 0 Q, for adjusting said roller D to and from the pickingdevice, substantially as described.

GERARD BEEKMAN.

Witnesses:

J. E. HINDoN HYDE, HARRY E. LEIBOLD.

